Another Happy Update

I've been up since 530 am, and it's a Saturday.

I'm not up because of the baby.

My husband has to work today, and usually, he takes over "parental duties" on Saturday mornings.

It's a day I look forward to ALL week long, but since he's not here, I figured I'd get my butt out of bed early, make some coffee, have some breakfast, and just enjoy the peacefulness of the house before the kids are awake.

I am almost 9 weeks post partum, and I am ridiculously giddy with my post pregnancy weight loss progress.

I bought a ball dress yesterday in a size 4....yes...a size 4!!!!

My normal pre pregnancy size is usually a 2 in ball gowns and a 4 in jeans.

I wrote an earlier blog post (that I can't seem to find right now to link to) that my goal was to be in a size 4 ball gown for the Marine Corps Ball this year.

I also said that I didn't think that was a realistic goal, but I am happy to say that I comfortably fit into a 4!!!!!!

I still have a long ways to go as far as toning up some of my loose skin on my belly, and losing about 10 more pounds to be exactly where I was at, but I'm really excited that all my hard work is paying off!

 

As y'all know already, after I had my daughter, it took me nearly a year to lose the baby weight.

So after I had this baby, I was determined to make sure it did not take me as long.

Just like most women, I used pregnancy as an excuse to indulge a little more than I normally would.

Although I was a LOT more mindful about indulging during this pregnancy than my first, it doesn't mean that I made great choices all the time when it came to my sweet cravings.

I gained a ridiculous amount of unnecessary weight with my first pregnancy.

I didn't gain nearly as much with baby 2, but I still did gain a little more than I would have liked. 

So here are two things that have been working for me (in case y'all are wondering)...

1) NUTRITION...DUH!

My husband and I don't eat pasta, bread or rice...NONE (unless we are doing a cheat meal or out to eat at a restaurant)! Our lunches and dinners are packed with protein and vegetables. I hate the idea that people think that we HAVE to have a starch with meals. NO YOU DON'T! I'll add quinoa to a meal if I'm really missing having that starch with a meal. Our meals are packed with protein and vegetables. Also, since I'm breastfeeding, for breakfast, I eat a bowl of oatmeal to help with my milk supply. My diet really didn't change much from before or during pregnancy, but I cut out all the "pregnancy cravings" that I gave in to during pregnancy. Healthy eating is really just a way of life. It's not something you can just do to lose weight, then go back to nasty eating habits.

I also enjoy a cup of coffee every morning :-)

My favorite K-Cup right now is Donut Shop's "coconut mocha" flavor.

People also get the wrong idea when I say that my husband and I eat super healthy and clean.

They think our meals are bland, tasteless, etc.

So not true!!

I usually take any recipe I find online, and swap out ingredients for healthier ones.

For instance, I made this stuffed acorn squash from Marshall's Abroad.

Instead of using chorizo (which can be really high in fat), I replaced it with chicken sausage (they also make chicken chorizo at Whole Foods).

I also replaced the gorgonzola cheese for a light feta cheese.

It was delicious!

My husband LOVED it, and when he took leftovers to work the next day, his coworkers were all jealous.

 

My husband NEVER eats breakfast.

Usually because he is rushing out the door to go to work at some ridiculous hour in the morning (4am-5am).

I am a strong believer that if you don't eat breakfast, you're setting yourself up for failure for the rest of the day.

I found this cool recipe on pinterest where you put eggs in a muffin tin, bake them, and you have mini omelets!

I scrambled a dozen eggs, poured them in a greased muffin tin, put a little handful of chopped spinach and mushrooms in each tin, and topped each one with some goat cheese. 

I popped them in the oven for 10 minutes at 425 degrees.

I put them in individual ziplock bags and put them in the freezer.

Every morning, my husband makes his coffee, grabs a mini omelet from the freezer and goes to work.

Once he gets to work, he can microwave his breakfast and eat!

 

Also, I bought some really nice and expensive non stick pans.

It's so worth the money because I use half the olive oil (or whatever oil) I used to use (with my old pans) when sauteing or cooking different foods.

Olive oil is a super healthy fat to add to your dishes, but at the end of the day, it's still extra fat that you're adding. 

You can still have it in your dish for the healthy aspect (and so that your food doesn't stick to your pan), but it's even better in moderation!

Most people tend to add so much oil to their food when cooking because their food keeps sticking to their pans.

Invest in a good non stick pan!

2) Work Out Routine

I work out everyday. I know a lot of people tell me I need a day of rest, and I totally agree. I choose to do an active rest day. Usually that means I either go on a really slow and short jog. My hour or two each day that I make for myself to work out is my stress reliever. It's the time of day when I can clear my thoughts and get a work out in at the same time which is why I don't have a "day off". I run, spin, and Crossfit. I'm looking forward to joining a box when my son can be put in childcare at the gym.

I'm also blessed to have a husband who is as passionate about fitness as I am, and it makes it a lot more fun when we can motivate each other. 

"A family that runs together, stays together."

If you enjoy running, you can't live without a BOB jogging stroller. Seriously.

This stroller is God's gift to mommies and daddies who love to run.

I have the BOB Duallie Revolution.

All of these things have really been working for me as far as post pregnancy weight loss.

I also feel that breastfeeding has helped a TON.

A couple of my friends said that breastfeeding made them keep some of the pounds on, but it's been completely untrue for me. 

I hope this helps anyone who's having some trouble getting the baby weight off!

I'd love to hear about what you're doing that's working for you! 

And of course, I can't let you go without sharing some pics of my little family :-)

Seriously though....

I don't know what I'm gonna do with her...

 Or him...

Or those cheeks...

So in love...